Alone
by Yorugirl
Summary: Sakura has a mission to destroy the Akatsuki. Will things go as planned or will a romance bloom? ItachiXSakura
1. Authors Note

I created this story a couple years ago but never finished it and decided to take it down and give myself some time to re-do it. I've finally found the time to start again and decided to post the first chapter I finished and continue on. Thanks to everyone who decides to give my story a chance.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sakura Haruno awoke to the violent sound of rain pounding against her small apartment window. She blinked open her jade green eyes while reluctantly positioning her petite form on the edge of the bed. Stretching her pale arms above her soft pink locks she gave a content sigh and in one swift motion rose from the mattress. Sakura flinched as a great crash of thunder rattled her cramped apartment, rendering the picture frame on her desk shattered and facedown on the cold hardwood floor. Immediately wide awake she picked up the crushed frame being careful of the sharp glass and tenderly pulled out the picture, her face stricken with grief.

It was the photograph of team 7 back when they were genin, they had been so happy back then, unaware of the heartbreak and deception yet to come. Sasuke leaving the village had been the turning point Sakura decided setting the photo back on her desk and moving to the rain battered window. Everyone changed after that, Naruto who used to be the number one hyper active ninja became more mature but somewhat sullen, Sakura had become emotionless and committed herself to becoming the strongest kunoichi she could. After six years of rigorous training with Lady Tsunade, Neji, Kiba and Kakashi Sakura had passed the chunin exams, risen to jonin then been excepted onto an anbu squad where she was given her tattoo and porcelain tiger mask.

"I am not the weak little girl I used to be" Sakura clenched her ashen fist gazing out her small bedroom window. Trying to keep her raging emotions in order Sakura headed toward the kitchen where she made herself some toast.

Wiping away stray crumbs she glanced at the clock on the stove and sighed. She had an hour before Lady Tsunade expected her. Sakura headed to her bedroom closet and grabbed her already packed backpack giving herself a mental pat on the back for packing the night before. Setting the bag on the bed she sauntered to her bathroom which was warm and familiar. Pulling on the customary anbu outfit that was hung on the back of the door and giving her rosy hair a quick brush she was ready. She heard the melodious tone of her doorbell, grabbing her pack, her sandals and a long crimson scarf which she wound once around her slender neck she padded to the door to great her visitor.

"What do you want Naruto?" Sakura asked starkly opening the door for the rain soaked 18 year old demon fox vessel "I have to go see Lady Tsunade soon." Naruto sighed as she pushed past through the doorway.

"You are so cold Sakura" Naruto complained as he trailed behind the emotionless kunoichi who had picked up her already rapid pace.

"People change naruto" she justified. "I hardly recognize you anymore Sakura you never have time for your friends, resigned working at the hospital, and can go on the most horrendous missions and not bat an eyelash, do you even care about me anymore?" Sakura flinched and turned to face the blonde who had his face down and hidden behind his bleached hair.

"Naruto you're like my brother and I love you but emotions are a ninja's weakness and having bonds will be our downfall." Her dull voice illustrated "We can talk about this after I have a mission your keeping me from." Naruto looked up to see a flash of pink and the frayed edge of Sakura's crimson scarf disappear from view as she turned a corner at eminent speeds only a ninja could conquer.

"You sound like Sasuke" Naruto muttered as he gave the weeping sky a glance then headed to Ichi Raku Ramen were the elegant Hyuga heiress was waiting.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sakura, the mission I have for you if you choose to except will be the most dangerous mission you have ever endured" the robust Hokage revealed "You are the only one qualified for this significant of a task but it means taking a huge risk on your life and being possibly labeled a traitor to the village hidden in the leaves, do you understand?" Sakura's stared at the Hakage's uncommonly sober face as she took in what was proclaimed. This mission would benefit the village greatly if she took it but being labeled a traitor, what kind of task was this?

Without more than a second thought Sakura's clear steady voice rang out across the room "I will do anything to protect this village even at the endangerment of my own life."

The Lady Hokage let out a sigh opening the cream file on her desk and reading it out loud "Sakura Haruno your mission is the locate and eliminate as many Akatsuki members as possible, you are to do this task solo and cannot tell anyone about it not even Naruto." Sakura gaped open mouth at the Hokage as she went on "Some members have been spotted not far from the village so they will be your first target, you have two months and if you are not home by then you will be labelled as a missing nin also you are to report to me every two weeks by messenger hawk." Tsunade looked up at her apprentice who was gaping a her. "You are the best; the village needs you." Sakura was startled out of her trance by her mentor's words. Was she really that strong? Was she good enough to take down the Akatsuki?

"Thank you Lady Tsunade I will leave right away" Sakura gave a light bow "I will not let you down for the sake of this village and Naruto." Tsunade watched her apprentice with growing pride, Sakura had grown a lot in the last few years and had become an important ninja to the village and almost like a daughter to the Hokage.

"Be careful Sakura" Tsunade sighed as she watched the pinkette snatch her backpack from the floor and maneuver toward the door looking back at her sensei only once.

Sakura approached the village gates briskly, covering her pasty face with the porcelain tiger mask she heard a reserved "Hello" from the gates security booth. The kunoichi gave a soft smile as she identified the shadow manipulator Shikamaru who was lazily leaning across the old timbered counter gazing at the clouds.

"Mission?" He asked simply.

"Yes, I will be gone for a while" Sakura's obscured voice spoke from behind her mask.

"Well... be safe" She heard him mumble before she jumped off into the trees, scarf whipping behind her like slashes of blood.

Confound thoughts scrambled Sakura's mind as she flitted across the tree tops of the forest not far from her village. Could she really take on the infamous Akatsuki by herself? She had killed one member years ago before she had gotten stronger, but he had been one of the weaker members. Suddenly she shook her head in anger trying to push the doubt from her mind. Sakura had become capable enough to rival her sensei and even the genius Neji but as she grew stronger her emotions and desires seemed to disappear leaving her cold and heartless. Her friends seeing the change backed away not wanting to see the cold hearted pinkette destroy herself any further."I just didn't want to be weak anymore" the kunoichi exhaled dropping to the ground gracefully. Sakura used her hypersensitive chakra to scan the area for any other ninja. Sensing nothing, she settled under a cherry blossom tree using the shade to cool herself after her extensive run. An hour passed as the pinkette gradually fell asleep not sensing the enormous chakra above her.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sensing the monstrous chakra Sakura surged to her feet, sleep hazing her mind. "Who are you?" asked the chakras host who had seemed to come out of thin air. The kunoichi blinked in trivial astonishment at the man who interrupted her slumber. Kisame Hoshigaki the monster of the hidden mist and member of the prestigious Akatsuki the same Akatsuki she was sent to destroy was standing just above her on a fractured branch. Sakura grinned silently thanking the heavens for her luck.

"Are you mute girl or just stupid?" the shark man smirked attempting to get a rise from the aberrant pinkette.

"You don't want to mess with me fish face" Sakura sneered at the shark man while gripping her kunai pouch "I was having such a good dream." Kisame's grin faltered at the girls insult but it returned more cheshire cat like then ever. He suddenly lunged sword swinging while Sakura sighed with annoyance and equipped herself for the fight to come.

Brief Time Skip

The screech of metal and the splatter of blood being shed was all you could hear in the clearing as the two ninjas fought. The fight had been going on for a good 20 minutes and both the ninjas chakra were clearly drained. A humungous crash echoed through the trees and surprised birds zipped away as the kunoichi and fish man slid across the clearing away from were they clashed.

Sakura panted sweat beading on her ashen face under her mask. She glared at Kisame who was somehow still standing and grinning even after getting hit many times by her attacks. Pain made her nerves twitch and she put a glowing hand over her ribs, which had been broken.

"I have to finish this quick" Sakura mumbled, "My chakra is almost all gone." Gathering the last bit of chakra into her fist she lunged at her opponent who seemed bemused with something behind her. Before she realized what was going on she felt a sharp tug on her scarf and was wrenched back, loosing concentration on her chakra-strengthened fist. The firm pull on the scarf had made it start to constrict around Sakura's neck as she kept being drawn back. She struggled to get loose but the movement just made the constriction worse as if she was hanging herself. Finally, with one last jolt from behind the pinkette plunged backwards towards her foes feet.

Trying to tear the crimson scarf away from her throat with her shaky hands she looked up at the intruder. Sakura froze her lost breath forgotten. Instinctively she grabbed for a kunai only to feel her scarf get tighter cutting off any chance of air and her vision blur as she descended into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw was red.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Emerald eyes flew open and a gasp of shock forced its way past Sakura's lips as she woke from her forced slumber. She searched her surroundings, eyes and chakra feeling around the dingy concrete room, which was vacant of any furniture. With a moan, she heaved herself off the chill floor to her knees and tucked her head between her shoulders trying to steady the spinning room. Shaky breathing was all that surrounded the room as Sakura slowly rose using the wall for support. She bit her lip trying to distract herself from the pain radiating from her side were Kisame had struck her with his sword. A green glow aluminated the dark room as she struggled to close the deep wound which was still seeping crimson. With a pant, she dropped her hand exhausted from expending the last bit of her chakra.

"That bastard took all my chakra," she hissed clenching her teeth "I don't have enough to heal my wounds." Grasping at the damp wall she slowly got to her feet. "Where the hell am I?" she gasped as she heaved and coughed, blood pooling around her pink lips. Taking deep laboured breaths she made her way to the metal door, slumping against it. "Chakra seals" she coughed dryly, black dots started swimming across her vision and Sakura felt her body weakening further from the blood loss and chakra exhaustion.

She couldn't help but wonder if she was in the Akatsuki hideout or a smaller base somewhere they took prisoner. "They're just going to let me bleed out in a cement cell?" pink hair fell across her face "What a crappy way to die." Hours seemed to pass, as Sakura lay slumped against the door half unconscious.

Suddenly she heard faint voices from outside the metal door "What does leader sama want us to do with her?"

"Interrogation, then if she will not cooperate we kill her" came from the smooth voice of an uchiha. Uchiha Itachi was outside her cell talking about her death like he would order tea. A huff passed her lips, she didn't want to die now but death always sounded better than interrogation.

"Two weeks should be enough time to break her" the voice she recognized as Kisame chuckled.

"Hn" the door lock clicked and pushed open rolling Sakura across the floor twice. To weak to complain she blinked her green eyes open, blurrily taking in the two criminals standing before her.

"What happened to that fighting spirit before princess, don't have it in ya anymore?" Kisame grinned baring razor sharp teeth, nudging Sakura with his foot.

She hissed trying to pull herself onto her knees again spitting blood on his shoe "Go to hell!" She heard Kisame chuckle as her attempts failed, just saving some dignity by catching herself from a face plant.

"Already there sweetheart" the shark man nudged her again harder succeeding on pissing Sakura of even more.

"Kisame…she needs some chakra or she's going to die... give her some" the red eyed Uchiha ordered.

"Fine" grumbling Kisame pulled his sword from his back and prodded the end into Sakura's shoulder. Sighing with relief as chakra started to seep into her body she healed the life-threatening damage to her body then shakily stood up.

Sakura faced the two men her head held high in defiance "Why even bother your going to kill me anyway."

"We need answers from you" Itachi glanced down at the pinkette.

She glared meeting his eyes "You wont get any answers from me, I would never reveal anything to you."

Kisame took a step towards Sakura looming over the smaller figure "We always get our answers" he grinned again then opened the door exiting the room.

Watching him leave she spit out "Just kill me now."

Itachi's eyes slightly narrowed "Are you that eager to die kunoichi?' She glared daggers at him but didn't reply and after a minute of silence Itachi turned his back to her and opened the door Kisame had just exited out "If you give us answers you will die painlessly." Giving her one last look he left, cloak billowing behind him.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sakura in mild terms was furious. Throughout what she assumed had been a night no one had brought her any food or water and she had expelled most of the chakra she had been given in earth shattering tantrums that barely dented her windowless cement cell. Hours ago a putrid smell had taken over and she wasn't sure if it was from the dried blood, which seemed to crust the walls or from her. She promised herself after she kicked the Akatsuki's ass she would find a stream to bathe in.

With one last sigh of frustration she sat on the ground, she needed to think of a better way to escape. Gaze fixated on the ceilings her thoughts drifting to Naruto. She was sure he was at home now impatiently waiting three minutes for his ramen to cook or maybe he was gazing at the picture of the old team 7 on his bedside table, wishing for Sasuke to return so everything would be right again. A day when all of team 7 would be able to see him become Hokage, a day when they would be happy. That's all he seemed to wish about these days, other than Ramen and Hinata.

Sakura gave a weak chuckle "Will he ever grow up and realize how much she loves him." Sakura felt something wet slide down her cheeks with a laugh she realized they were tears. "I haven't cried in years and one thought of Naruto after a night of being held hostage has me in tears… I'm pathetic." Sakura jumped to her feet and in one harsh movement slammed her fist into the wall, hearing bones crunch. She pressed her forehead against the cool wall "So much for being emotionless… I can't believe how pathetic I am." Slamming her now broken fist against the wall for a second time she slowly slid to her knees, teeth clenched and blood trickling from her now split lip.

{==========}

There was a loud clang then a shudder as Sakura's cell door opened revealing Itachi as he stepped into the room then closed the door behind him. It has been hours since Sakura's emotional collapse and she still had her forehead against the wall, eyes closed and her broken hand clenched against her chest. Itachi didn't say anything as he moved closer stopping only a foot away and watched her. "Are you here to kill me?" she whispered not moving from her spot, eyes still closed.

"Will you give us the information we need?" he asked kneeling down to her current height.

"No" her eyes opened and she met his gaze intensely then after a minute closed them again in an almost bored fashion. "Two years ago in a private area of the Konoha library while I was filing some old medical papers about the Hyuga clan I stumbled upon a document" slowly Sakura opened her eyes and pushed herself with her good arm into a sitting position facing Itachi. "Do you know what were in those files Itachi?" She didn't wait for a response "It was a file about the Uchiha massacre and how you were ordered to kill the clan…the whole clan."

Itachi gave her a calculating look then replied, "Everyone but my foolish little brother."

"Why didn't you?" She frowned "You killed your mother, father, grandparents, aunts and uncles but you didn't kill your brother."

In a second Itachi had grabbed her broken hand in his own and crushed it harshly. "Answer the questions we have for you and we will give you a quick end." He watched as Sakura bit her lip to stop herself from screaming, after giving her a sharigan filled look he let go and stood up.

Sakura retracted her hand quickly and spat at him "I wont answer your questions!"

He didn't look at her as he walked to the door. Only when his hand was on the knob did he turn to her and say, "He was my brother, a weak brother but I couldn't bring myself to kill him."

Glaring at him she hissed "You put him through hell."

"We will start the interrogation tomorrow, we will get the answers we need Sakura." He closed the door behind him the lock clicking menacingly.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Sakura!"

"Naruto?"

"How could you Sakura?" "I thought we were your friends"

"Ino? Hinata?" An explosion of bright colorless light surrounded Sakura as she ran desperately towards the voices.

"You were such a promising student…"

"Kakashi!?" Sakura cried out as she tripped over a tree root tumbling uncontrollably down a ridge, with a thud she landed in knee-deep water. Bloodied and bruised she pushed herself to her knees taking in her surroundings. She had landed in a bog covered in water, which was dark red in color. She didn't have much time to think about it as another voice rang out.

"You are weak."

Sakura was about to climb back out of the trench when one by one figures started appearing in the water. The people were unmoving, floating with corpse like stillness. The pinkette cried out when one of the figures floating closest to her reached out and clutched her leg. The body was badly scarred and looked up at her with murky blue eyes. It took her moments to recognize the boy. "Naruto!"

"Sakura" he whispered "Why didn't you save us?"

Tears sprang to her eyes as she recognized the other bodies floating around her.

Naruto..Hinata..Ino..Sasuke..Kakashi..Tsunade..Tenten..Neji..Sai..Shikamaru..Lee

All their frosty dead eyes staring up at her with anguish.

"What happened? I don't understand!?" Sakura cried grabbing Naruto's hand.

"You betrayed us, killed us all!" They all whispered.

"No! I would never betray my friends!" Sakura let go of Naruto's hand and backed away looking for away to escape. "This is just a dream!" Frantically she started to pull herself up the steep hill, she screeched as someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her underwater.

Naruto was holding her under the murky water as her other friends huddled around and watched. "You were to weak to save us! You don't deserve to live while we lay here and rot!" Her dead friends explained as she tried prying the hands from her throat.

Water collapsed her lungs as she struggled to remain conscious. "This is a dream!" Black spots danced across Sakura's vision and she knew it would take only moments for her last breath to escape her lips. "If this isn't a dream it has to be a genjutsu." With the last bit of strength she possessed she gathered all the chakra and gasped "Genjutsu Release!"

Drip…Drip…Drip

"She broke your genjutsu that's impressive" Kisame remarked as Sakura's emerald eye flickered open.

"You sick bastard," she mumbled feeling weak and beaten, her crimson blood dripped from one of many lacerations on her pale skin.

She stifled a cry as Itachi reached behind her and with a twist fractured her index finger on her swollen hand she had broken two nights ago. "You should watch your mouth Kunoichi."

Spit flew from her lips as she cursed and attempted to launch herself at Itachi in a blind rage. Her attempt was unsuccessful as the wooden chair she was restrained to toppled over. She gritted her teeth as the fall bashed her head into the concrete.

A booming laugh echoed throughout the room "That's what you get pinky!" Kisame kicked the overturned chair with a blue sandalled foot. Sakura glared silently at the fish man imagining how many ways she could tear him apart with her bare hands.

"Who has the nine tails been training with the past two years?" Itachi kneeled in front of her grasping her face with his callous hand forcefully.

Jade met crimson as Sakura's whispered with enmity "I will never let you hurt Naruto and I will never betray my village." The Uchiha's eyes spun dangerously as he pulled a kunai from under his cloak. In one rapid movement he had sliced the cords binding her to the chair while flipping her to the concrete floor. All air left Sakura's lungs as he straddled her abdomen and grasped both her wrists with his left hand while the right held the glimmering kunai to her throat.

"You are to weak to fight us and there is no way of escape, just tell us what we need to know and we will end it swiftly."

The pink haired kunoichi gasped to regain her breath, which had left her lungs from the weight of the man sitting on her. As her lungs began to fill so did her rage and with a hiss she began to buck and twist trying to get the Uchiha off her. "Never! Never! Never!" She screeched blood dripping down her throat as she pushed at the kunai he held.

"Kisame" Itachi raised his voice over the kunoichi's shouts "Go report our progress to the others."

With a grunt Kisame moved from his position near the wall and exited the room with a click. Getting annoyed with the vociferous girl he leaned down and breathed in her ear "Calm down." Sakura kept fighting making the normally unexpressive Uchiha lose his cool. With a loud crunch Itachi smashed her broken hand on the floor, which instantly stopped Sakura's struggling with a hiss of pain.

"If you don't calm down I will break your other hand" he explained as Sakura gritted her teeth in pain.

Sakura glared at the man above her with utter fury. To say the least the pinkette was irate, her chakra was so low and the pain was so fierce. She had only been their captive for three days but the intense physical and mental torture she had gone through was too much, at this point death would be a blessing. As if he was reading her mind the red-eyed man moved the kunai from her throat till the tip pressed lightly over her heart.

"Tell us what we need to know" Itachi repeated gently pressing the tip into her skin, drawing blood. Her thoughts once again went to Naruto, when her reports didn't arrive to the Hokage would she send Naruto to come save her. Would Sai, Kakashi and Naruto get here in time to save her or would she be gone by then? Body burned or left to rot in the forest around Konaha were Itachi and Kisame would likely dispose of her.

Maybe they'd be better of without you a voice in the back of Sakura's head vocalized, then Naruto can just worry about getting stronger and getting Sasuke back. No emotionally scarred teammate to worry about no weak girl to protect.

"Bonds will be our downfall" Sakura herself had told Naruto before she left on the failure of a mission she was on. The anbu in her screamed to take the plunge, end her life but the old Sakura, the one who cried when Sasuke left and tried to protect Naruto with all her might screamed at her to fight to live. The kunoichi twitched a numbness creeping down her shoulder over the black anbu tattoo. A sign?

She mused, her lips turning up into a crazed smile. Just like the everlasting tattoo she would always be apart of the anbu black ops of Konaha ever loyal to the Hokage even in death. At the beginning of this mission she had her doubts that how could she take down the Akatsuki? One little anbu trying to fight a war by herself. The only thing she wished was that she had been kinder to Naruto. The best friend she pushed away trying to get stronger.

"I'm sorry Naruto" Sakura whispered before gathering the last bit of strength she could muster, she yanked her hands from Itachi's grasp and arched her back, pushing the kunai deep into her chest.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ba-Bum… Ba-Dum… Ba-Bum… Ba-Dum… Ba-Bum… Ba-Dum… Ba-Bum…

Burning, her chest was on fire. A pain radiating with the steady pulse of her heart, acid in her veins. Wait a pulse? A sharp intake of breath was heard followed by a fireball in Sakura's throat. The dead don't breathe and sure as hell don't have a pulse. Sakura opened her sleep-coated eyes with a groan. The world was a bright blur that made her eyes water.

"What the hell?" The kunoichi's voice came out raspy, she moistened her parched lips as her jade eyes started to focus. Looking around she realized she was in a small bedroom. The walls were a deep blue and a plush charcoal carpet covered the floor. She was seated on a twin-sized bed covered with silk sheets, cool to the touch. She felt bruised from the tip of her toes to her throbbing hand, which to Sakura's surprise was wrapped and from the smell, coated with ointment. The air was crisp and the pinkette shivered, stretching her petite body under the covers she realized she was only wearing a pair of black form fitting shorts and chest bindings both of which she usually wore under her anbu uniform. Someone had stripped off her bloody clothes and attempted to bandage her wounds.

"I see your finally awake pinky" Kisame's deep voice boomed from the room's doorway.

Sakura turned to glare at the shark man "What the hell happened? How am I still alive?" Throwing the charcoal sheets to the side she shakily stood, taking three weak steps then sinking to the ground panting. A throbbing grew in her chest and she groaned, grimy pink locks falling into her face.

"We had to rush to the main base after your little suicide attempt so Kakuza could stitch you up, did you think we'd let you escape that easily?" Kisame's toothy grin grew as Sakura clutched her chest feeling the jagged wound over her heart.

"The kunai should have gone deep enough, I should have been dead in seconds," Sakura whispered digging her nails into soft flesh, trying to stop them from shaking.

"Heh" Taking two giant steps Kisame stood beside the pink haired girl "An inch deeper and you would have been, lucky for us Itachi knew just enough medical jutsu to keep you from bleeding out before we could get here."

She raised her head analyzing Kisame's face, a shudder racked Sakura's small frame as he appraised her with interest. Cold and exhausted she tried to stand determined to prove fortitude to the enemy shinobi even if she was weakened, beaten and barely clothed. Just as she steadied her tired legs an intense chakra appeared and light footsteps could be heard from the hall.

Kisame gave her a sharky grin "Looks like my watch is over." Sakura watched as the blue man opened the room's door and quietly conversed with the stranger before turning back to her "Don't do anything stupid kunoichi there will be someone outside the door at all times." With that he left.

She could hear his footsteps retreating down the hall and as soon as his monstrous chakra faded Sakura sighed.

"What a mess." She traced the scar on her chest, when fully healed the wound would be rough and uneven Kakuza obviously hadn't put much thought into stitching her wound but from what little she knew about him he probably didn't care. Another wound, another memory.

*Flashback*

She recalled the day she had returned from her first anbu mission, wounded and shaken she had been debriefed then taken to the hospital were Tsunade had healed her with direct orders to stay overnight. Sakura's wounds weren't life threatening a few cracked ribs, chakra depletion, sprained wrist and a laceration on her upper arm below her anbu tattoo. Kakashi had come to visit her during the night, keeping her company till she became drowsy from painkillers. Before she welcomed sleep she remembered him commenting about how her wound would scar.

She had snickered at him "I didn't join anbu to be safe and secure if a few scars and broken bones if what I get in the process of growth then I will be covered in them by the time I am your age!"

The look of distaste on his face was comical, he hated being called old. "Not all scars are on the outside Sakura, you of all people should know that."

The pink haired kunoichi grinned at her sensei a smile, which didn't reach her eyes. "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."

Sakura gazed into his eyes pain, loneliness and more emotion then she had ever seen in her sensei flashed in his eyes. She grabbed his hand and whispered, "I understand."

He gave her hand a light squeeze before he dropped into the chair beside her bed "Go to sleep Sakura."

She gave him a doleful smile before drifting off to sleep.

*End Of Flashback*

That night felt like years ago and Sakura had so many scars now. The one that stretched above her navel that she had received from a crazed sound Nin who had attempted to gut her, or the one that began at the bottom of her ribcage and extended to the top of her spine a grisly wound from a fuuma shuriken that had almost cut her in half. The one above her heart would just be another battle scar, another memory.

A light thump could be heard from outside the door and an annoyed huff. Apparently, whoever had been sent on guard duty was less than pleased. Finding no point in gawking at the door like an idiot Sakura made her way to the far side of the room. When she was as far from the door as possible she sat leaning against the wall, closing her eyes she took a deep steadying breath. She gathered what little chakra she had gained from sleep and pushed it outward searching the room. As her chakra dispersed to the walls she realized they were coated with chakra seals, making the walls unbreakable even to her tremendous strength. She stretched her chakra even further trying to find any weakness in the impenetrable wall, finding none she gave a hiss of frustration. Extending past the slightly open door she tried to get a reading on her guard dog. Then it hit her, the chakra signature was immense it jolted against hers and she quivered. His chakra was electrifying and explosive as it danced around hers; he was examining her chakra just like she was his. His control over chakra was good she could feel him bending it to his will but hers even with what little she had was better and soon she had evaded its search and sent a jolt searching through the host's chakra passages. If she was in better condition and closer she could have done some damage bursting pathways and severing connections with medical chakra but she was in no condition to do so and this stranger seemed to know this. His slowly followed her search making sure she attempted no damage to his body. Like a deadly dance she continued searching and evading, chakra doing no damage.

Soon sweat started to form on her brow and her breathing became labored, she was expending too much chakra guaranteeing another unwanted nap. She retracted her chakra slowly as if not to startle the other. Blinking her eyes she wiped the sweat from her brow and hunched over trying to catch her lost breath.

"Those two-sure got ya pretty good…yeah" Sakura's flinched; she had not heard the stealthy man approach. "We didn't think you were gonna make it, I've never seen anyone covered in so much blood…yeah." He grinned as the pinkette glared at him through dirty pink locks. She had met this man once before and read of him many times from the bingo book and secret files.

"Your Deidara from the village hidden in the rock" a smirk emerged on her blood caked lips as she brushed her grimy locks off her face "I expected more."

His grin deflated into an angry scowl, he strode forward suddenly towering over the petite kunoichi. "Don't mess with me…yeah… I am your guard for the next five hours and no one will stop me if I feel the need to cause some discomfort …yeah."

His cobalt eyes hardened as Sakura's smirk grew. "The others still need answers from me, there's no way they would bring me back from death then let you kill me without even attempting another interrogation."

Sakura flinched as Deidara burst out laughing, that was not the reaction she was expecting. The kunoichi stood about to retreat from the hysterical man when she was hurled against the wall. Sakura recoiled as Deidara's large hands slammed next to her face and his body pressed against hers ceasing her struggles.

Jade met sapphire, both flashed with indignation neither one wanting to be the first to look away. Deidara leaned past her face brushing his lips past her cheek "I said cause discomfort…yeah…not kill you."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

She flinched as he glided his callous hands across her abdomen. His warm breath tickled her cheek and the smell of clay and earth was overwhelming her senses. The kunoichi's mind screamed at her to run but she knew the attempt would just cause him to tighten his hold on her and would be seen as a weakness.

She hissed under her breath, keeping her face as neutral as possible. Goose bumps marred Sakuras skin as his rough hands brushed over her flesh once again. She flinched, pushing herself further against the wall as his hand moved from her stomach to the edge of her chest bindings. He looked down, blue met green. His eyes dilated with lust at her reaction as he continued to play with the thin band across her chest.

Sakura had to admit Deidara was a beautiful man. His long honey blonde hair was soft and the eye which was not covered by hair was piercing blue. She had killed a man much like him before, he was an overconfident high lord with a bad temper. That had been on a suduction mission years ago, one that had ended successfully with little trouble. Sakura knew what she had to do.

She relaxed her muscles and leaned into him, she pushed her chest out giving him better access to the bindings. He gave her a confused look "What?"

Sakura gave him a sexy smirk "What you don't want me?" She reached behind her and slowly loosened her chest bindings, revealing more of her ample breasts to the chilly air. He grabbed her shoulders roughly and Sakura gave a small hiss as the movement pulled the stitches. This set him off. He grabbed her waist and threw her onto the nearby bed, holding her hands above her head he straddled her on the soft sheets.

He started kissing and nipping at her neck trailing his way lower and lower. At this point Sakura knew his defences where down. "Deidara" she purred. He stopped his trail of kisses down her neck to look at her. She took advantage of this and captured his lips with her own. He moaned and as she licked his bottom lip, he parted his greedily inviting her in for a deeper kiss.

In one swift motion Sakura bit his lip, drawing blood. In another movement she brought her left knee up hard, connecting with his groin. With a cry he flew off of her onto the floor beside the bed, hands over his crotch he moaned.

Sakura took this opportunity to grab the white silk sheet of the bed to cover herself then bolt to the door. She flung it open to reveal a dimly lit grey hallway. Fluorescent bulbs hummed and flickered as she sprinted down the long stretch, hoping her choice to go right instead of left wouldn't lead her to a dead end. Door after door blurred by as she ran like hell was behind her. Finally she got to the end where a bigger more pronounced doorway loomed. The pinkette burst through not slowing down her speed.

"Keep….going" she huffed. Her last bit of energy was draining and she knew if she couldn't find an exit soon her body would give. Past the arch was a brightly lit living space furnished with deep red carpet and enough furnature for twenty people.

"There!" With a cry she leeped towards an ajar window, a calm breeze teezing her senses. A great cracking sound filled the room as she bounced back electricity jolting her body. The window was chakra enhanced, she had to find another exit. Panic erupted throughout Sakuras brain as the current throughout her body made more than twitching seaizures impossible.

"The bitch your looking for is in here" a raspy male voice called from her far left.

Sakura forced her head in the direction of the man and hissed as she recognized him from her bingo book "Hidan".

The mans purple eyes met hers "You know who I am?" He moved closer to her and his eratic chakra starting producting a density in the room that was putting pressure on her chest.

The pinkettes breaths were short and panicked as she attempted to push to her knees. In this she only succeeded in almost blacking out and shifting her already loose chest bindings.

"Jeez pinky what did Deidara do to you?" Hidan grabbed the sheet that she had lost when the electricity struck and threw it at her. With what little grace she had Sakura grabbed the soft fabric and wrapped it around herself, making a makeshift dress.

She nodded briskly to the man not wanting to waist her breath as she weezed and twitched. Hidan just shrugged and watched her, obviously waiting for the others to arrive. The stories of this man where horrid and before know she had never come across him during her missions. It would be a shame to have to kill him, he seemed to be the most decent person here so far.

Sakura huffed in amusment, she had to be loosing her mind. Hidan watched with interest as she tried to get to her feet on wobbly knees. Her fight was a success, using the couch she had landed beside as a crutch.

They caught each others eyes, neither looking away and both waiting to see what the other would do. The contact seemed to go on forever and Sakura knew she should be planning her escape but at the same time complete exhaustion had taken over and black spots danced over her eyes.

Sakuras knees crumpled under her as three large chakras came from the direction of the hallway. Her world went black and the last thing she saw was silver.


End file.
